Is the UK press really anti-regulation?
Welcome to edition one of Unchecked UK’s new media monitor - where we look quarterly at how the press covers regulation
The ability of the mainstream press to ‘set the weather’ in Britain is well known. According to Steve Richard, ex Political Editor of the New Statesman, the fear of The Daily Mail’s wrath, or the urgent need to keep The Sun on side has frequently forced politicians to shelve their principles when implementing policy.
Since Labour took office on July 4th, we’ve been analysing the editorials of leading UK newspapers to gauge whether they are indeed ‘on side’ when it comes to regulation. We want to know how regulations are framed - whether they are seen as pillars of a fair society or burdens on individuals and businesses. And crucially, we want to know what this means for Labour’s agenda.
With Keir Starmer promising to ‘slash red tape’ at Labour’s investment summit earlier this week, the deregulatory voices from the right-wing press seem to be having significant cut through.
But the story doesn’t stop there. During Labour’s first 100 days, the dangers of deregulation has often been front page news, and the calls for stronger protections have come from all sides of the press. Check out all of our findings in the interactive report below.
We’ll be repeating the research quarterly to understand how the narrative on protections is developing - so stay tuned for future updates!
Unchecked UK responds to Starmer’s promise to ‘slash red tape’
Keir Starmer hosted Labour’s Investment Summit earlier this week where he promised to ‘slash red tape’ and ‘rip out bureaucracy’ to get Britain growing again. But his strategy is both misguided and shortsighted.
Far from being a barrier, these protections create the stability and certainty that responsible investors value. Only a small minority of businesses cite regulation as a top challenge. What’s more, our research consistently shows that the public supports strong, well-enforced regulations.
We’ve been working hard this week to get that message out. Check out our media coverage below and please do share widely.
Labour List - Voters don’t want de-regulation. They want government to have their back
BBC 5 Live - Unchecked UK calls for high business standards
LBC News - Unchecked UK says Starmer’s rhetoric on regulation is 'more of the same’
The Big Issue - Keir Starmer's promise to slash red tape and 'rip out bureaucracy' is a step backwards for Britain
Supporter Event - Shaping Labour’s Narrative on regulation
Wednesday 4th of December, 12:30-2:00
On the 4th of December we’ll be discussing whether the new government’s narrative on regulation is moving in the right direction.
The launch of the Regulatory Innovation Office and the recent Investment Summit show that the old orthodoxies of ‘cutting red tape’ and ‘reducing burdens’ prevail. But we know that there is a huge appetite for a reset. Poll after poll shows that voters certainly want stronger protections, a sentiment that the Prime Minister acknowledged in his party conference speech when he spoke of the need for more control over markets.
So how do we make the reset happen?
Stonehaven will be joining us to share insights into the attitudes of Hero Voters to social protections - the critical sections of the electorate that the Labour government will need to keep on board to stand a chance of a second term in office.
They will be joined by Marc Stears, Director of the UCL Policy Lab, former Labour speechwriter and author of Out of the Ordinary. Marc will be reflecting on how we shift the debate away from regulations as an economic burden, and towards a sense of them as protections which tune into what he describes as the ‘the virtues and rhythms of everyday life of ordinary citizens’.
Final speakers to be announced soon, so save the date and come and join us for this important discussion.